Spring Break
Movie Review - Amazing Grace
Nikki Brewer (Partner OB), Harbus Intern
Issue date: 3/12/07 Section: Reviews
This biographical film tells the heroic story of William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) who, after a fifteen year struggle, ended the slave trade in Great Britain.
The movie begins with a sick William traveling to Bath to regain his strength. His past struggle is revealed through a series of flashbacks. They begin with him fighting in Parliament for the appeasement of America. Parliament provides humorous moments, not unlike the HBS classroom environment, where members are mocked by their adversaries.
The protagonist is encouraged by his friend William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch), who has ambitions of becoming Prime Minister, and quietly works behind the scenes to help end the slave trade. Wilberforce feels torn between his passion for politics and his passion for God. In the end, his old priest tells him to follow both.
John Newton, the old priest, was played by Albert Finney. He served as captain of a slave ship who recognized what he was doing was wrong. From the depth of his heart, he wrote a song to God to free him from the sin of his occupation. That song is "Amazing Grace." As Newton tells Wilberforce how he lives with 2,000 ghosts it reminds the viewer of the dedication in Toni Morrison's "Beloved" "to 60 million and more" which speaks to the number of people that were killed by slavery.
Although John Newton has written the song "Amazing Grace," he still seems to struggle with accepting that grace and therefore will not talk about what happened on the ships.
Wilberforce and his small group eventually begin his war on the slave trade. Their strategy is to win by the will of the people. They end up with a petition with 3,000 signatories. In parliament, their opponents argue that if the slave trade ends, it will be devastating to the wealth of people they represent.
The majority of the discussion concerns wealth rather than the rights of slaves as people. The plot is complicated by the war between France and England. Pitt and Wilberforce debate whether an action against the king during a time of war is considered treason, and therefore Wilberforce must stop fighting.
The movie begins with a sick William traveling to Bath to regain his strength. His past struggle is revealed through a series of flashbacks. They begin with him fighting in Parliament for the appeasement of America. Parliament provides humorous moments, not unlike the HBS classroom environment, where members are mocked by their adversaries.
The protagonist is encouraged by his friend William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch), who has ambitions of becoming Prime Minister, and quietly works behind the scenes to help end the slave trade. Wilberforce feels torn between his passion for politics and his passion for God. In the end, his old priest tells him to follow both.
John Newton, the old priest, was played by Albert Finney. He served as captain of a slave ship who recognized what he was doing was wrong. From the depth of his heart, he wrote a song to God to free him from the sin of his occupation. That song is "Amazing Grace." As Newton tells Wilberforce how he lives with 2,000 ghosts it reminds the viewer of the dedication in Toni Morrison's "Beloved" "to 60 million and more" which speaks to the number of people that were killed by slavery.
Although John Newton has written the song "Amazing Grace," he still seems to struggle with accepting that grace and therefore will not talk about what happened on the ships.
Wilberforce and his small group eventually begin his war on the slave trade. Their strategy is to win by the will of the people. They end up with a petition with 3,000 signatories. In parliament, their opponents argue that if the slave trade ends, it will be devastating to the wealth of people they represent.
The majority of the discussion concerns wealth rather than the rights of slaves as people. The plot is complicated by the war between France and England. Pitt and Wilberforce debate whether an action against the king during a time of war is considered treason, and therefore Wilberforce must stop fighting.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
D Delsol
posted 3/31/07 @ 2:49 AM EST
The movie Amazing Grace purports to tell the story of the single white man who 'saved' poor passive Africans from the vicious degradations the British were inflicting upon them. (Continued…)
Gambling Resource Cente
posted 11/05/08 @ 1:33 AM EST
It is to be hoped that Amazing Grace is not the only, or the last, cinematic celebration of 200th anniversary of abolition, for there are more stories to tell, more imaginatively. (Continued…)
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